Letters to the editor

LETTERS: Send letters to the editor to billie.harrison@fairfaxmedia.com.au

The could-have-beens

Ever wonder why with such a giant leap forward in automation, technology etcetera, that in everything in the last 100 years, probably the only thing that has not changed is the way our democratic government is structured?

Myself and many other like-minded citizens can see there is a definitive need for a major change.

How successful is our state government? NOT! The finance for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital is nearly all borrowed.

South Australia must pay $1 million in interest a day… Yes, that’s right… A DAY!

How long will it take to pay back the billions borrowed?

In Port Lincoln, we have an eight-bed mental health facility.

It is not used for mental health patients because the government cannot afford mental health staff.

It is time for our system of government to change. What is that change?

The most iconic change is we do not have a state government. Our states do not have a state government.

‘Ridiculous, that will never happen’ may be your first and last reaction.

Many of us are acutely aware of our state’s inadequacies, employment, constant power supply, health care etcetera and I am conscious of the number of people who are past caring.

So how do we in a clear and emphatic manner tell the MPs that they are no longer required in a civil way?

Together, you and I can change the course of history at next year’s state election.

By going to your polling station (because it is compulsory to do so) and collecting your ballot paper, leaving it blank and then folding and placing it in the ballot box.

Even if you are looked upon or think of yourself as no great influence/importance you can leave your mark on our destiny.

WAYNE TYRRELL

Port Lincoln

BHP re-badge welcome

Re-badging BHP (Billiton) is a good move. Broken Hill, although only just in NSW, nevertheless observes South Australian (Central Standard Time) time and its original product of lead and zinc concentrates have been smelted in Port Pirie from the very beginning of the company.

Its interest in coal, oil and gas have seen BHP (Billiton) expand to ‘world's biggest miner’ status.

With its interest now in its original state, SA, BHP is in a very strong position to become the world leader in emissions-free base-load power production.

Its uranium reserves at Olympic Dam, are so large that those reserves alone, used in the developing integral fast reactors (IFRs) could power the entire planet for 4000+ years.

With the recently signed China Free Trade Agreement, BHP should now engage more fully with China, become a/the main supplier of uranium to China and work more closely with the SA government in expanding the nuclear industry in SA.

The development of an international high level nuclear waste repository as recommended in the Scarce Royal Commission, would be a sensible place to start.

China has 35 operating reactors, is currently building 21 and plans to build another 180 by 2050.

BHP and China together could make a huge dent in the amount of CO2 the world generates through its use of fossil fuels, especially coal, for electricity generation.

TERRY KRIEG

Port Lincoln

Letters to the editor

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